The Adler ‘Scope

Header Image: Planetarium guests attend a sky show with the Zeiss Mk II projector at the Adler c. 1955. Image Credit: The Adler Planetarium Archives When the Adler Planetarium opened in 1930 as America’s first planetarium, the centerpiece was a star projector made by the Carl Zeiss company of Germany, the Zeiss “Mark II”. This […]

Header Image: Photo taken of Venus by NASA’s Mariner 10 spacecraft in 1974. Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech Have you heard the news? On September 14, 2020, a scientific team through the Royal Astronomical Society announced the detection of phosphine molecules in clouds on Venus! This means Venus—the hottest, terrestrial planet in our solar system—is making headlines […]

Header Image: The Sun sets during Chicagohenge as a CTA train in Chicago, Illinois travels towards it. Image Credit: @cdats It’s a great month for planet viewing and observing the Earth-and-sky occurrence known as “Chicagohenge”, in September 2020. Start your planet viewing during evening twilight by looking low in the southern skies to see the […]

Header Image: Adler Teen Stratonaut Duncan A. Yuen presenting the team’s findings about light pollution from the trip to Little Red Schoolhouse at an Adler Planetarium event. Seeing a night sky—specifically one that is not affected by light pollution—can be life-changing! If you live in Chicago or a large city with lots of lights, those […]

Header Image: Adler Teen Alum Grace Crim is seen here working with other team members who were part of the Adler Teens Stratonauts program. Seeing a night sky—specifically one that is not affected by light pollution—can be life-changing! If you live in Chicago or a large city with lots of lights, those lights will drown […]

Header Image: Make your own stomp rocket and stomp rocket launcher with supplies from around your house and launch it outside! When I’m looking to combine a little bit of learning with a lot of fun, stomp rockets are my go-to. As the Manager of Program Development, I include them in Adler’s camp activity list […]

Header Image: Looking through a telescope at the Adler Planetarium. Editor’s Note: This blog was originally published in August 2020 and was updated in August 2024 with more current information. One question we often get at the Adler is: “I’m a beginner. What’s the best telescope for me?”  The really short answer is, “The best […]

Header Image: The original image of galaxies NGC 6285 (left) and NGC 6286 (right) was taken by NASA Hubble. Image Edit: Adler Planetarium We all know that social distancing is a good way to avoid catching (or spreading) a virus, but what if the stakes were even higher? What if standing too close to someone […]

Header Image: In this 30 second exposure, a meteor streaks across the sky during the annual Perseid meteor shower Friday, Aug. 12, 2016 in Spruce Knob, West Virginia. Photo Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls Hello stargazers! One of the best annual meteor showers of the year occurs this month, August 2020. The Perseid meteor shower is expected […]

Header Image: A weekly family-friendly exploration of our galaxy and beyond, REACH: A Space Podcast for Kids, is hosted by Meredith Stepien and Brian Holden, and co-created by Nate DuFort and Sandy Marshall. Blog Last Updated: July 2022 My name is Nate DuFort and I am a writer, producer, director, and now co-creator of the […]